


Sunshine Smile

by RowlettLesbian



Series: Naruto the Fox [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: BAMF Yamanaka Ino, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, Love, M/M, Male-Female Friendship, Marriage Proposal, Nara Shikamaru-centric, Romance, Shikamaru is a sap, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Uzumaki Naruto is a Good Friend, this can be considered a sequel for my larger shikanaru work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-09-28 12:26:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17182976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RowlettLesbian/pseuds/RowlettLesbian
Summary: "Naruto plopped down into the seat by Ino and instantly brightened the entire establishment with his sunshine hair and sunshine smile. Spending time like this with Naruto was too precious to waste thinking about troublesome things."*****It's bar-night for the Rookie Nine plus Team Gai, and Shikamaru isn't so terribly annoyed about having to stay up late. After all, spending time with his brilliant boyfriend makes any situation more tolerable.The only strategic option, therefore, is to ask to spend the rest of his life by Naruto's side.





	Sunshine Smile

“Fwaaaah! Shikamaru, look, the sky is so pretty tonight!”

With Naruto’s hand clasped in his own, Shikamaru’s contentment was a physical sensation. The two of them were making their slow, meandering way through the cold night air for the weekly bar night. Tonight, however, Shikamaru was less interested in seeing his friends and more spellbound by his boyfriend. Naruto’s face was animated by his rapid-fire speech and lit by the glow of passing windows as they strolled through the familiar streets of Konoha. Visiting with everybody all at once would end this tiny moment in time, a troublesome inevitability, but having Naruto at his side ooh-ing and ah-ing up at the stars was ‘recharging his batteries’ so to speak, enough that he couldn’t muster up any real annoyance. After all, spending time like this with Naruto was too precious to waste thinking about troublesome things. 

His thoughts were interrupted when his boyfriend noticed his wandering thoughts. “Shikamaru,” Naruto grumbled, now pouting at Shikamaru with his bottom lip stuck out and everything, “you’re not looking!” Naruto’s whiskers splayed out from his pout and highlighted just how bright his boyfriend's sweet doe-eyes were. So, Shikamaru decided on the most tactical decision for the situation, and leaned in and caught that lower lip between his own.

Their faces aligned with the ease of long practice. Shikamaru lived for such fulfilling moments, where Naruto was so close that Shikamaru could feel every one of Naruto's breaths puffing against his cheeks, those lips pressed hot and welcoming to his own, and he soon found himself sweeping his tongue across the plushness of Naruto’s lower lip for a quick taste of how his boyfriend moaned in response. No matter how natural, how warmly affectionate their kisses became, Naruto always welcomed him anew, and melted into Shikamaru with so much trust and joy that it made him feel like he could stay there for hours. Which he had, in fact, done many times before.

Naruto kissed like he cherished every press of their lips. Shikamaru, awed and blessed, could only try his best to kiss his thankfulness back to Naruto in turn.

Shikamaru pulled back from their current kiss with a whisper of wetness that brought memories of even more intimate activities to mind. He opened his eyes, which he hadn't noticed closing, and then had to smirk as his boyfriend took a shaky inhale for a moment before daring to open his own eyes. Those adorable whisker cheeks were now flushed, his eyes wide, and that pouting lower lip was puffy and pinked. Shikamaru's smirk widened.

“I was looking at something better,” he finally responded. Naruto, in turn, looked at him with blank confusion tinged lightly with bashfulness, and Shikamaru preened inwardly even as he tried to keep from swaying forward for another kiss. But, “We’re going to be late, Naruto.”

“Wah!?” gasped his passionate boyfriend, flushing even deeper. “Shikamaru! What are you doing k-ki- distracting me, then? Come on, come on, we’ve gotta go!” Naruto pulled away and began to hustle down the empty street, and Shikamaru groaned at the loss of his leisurely romantic stroll. The complaining noise was mostly in jest, though. They really were going to be late, which was why he’d mentioned it in the first place. He didn’t want to end up with the tab, not again. Shikamaru licked his lips for any lingering taste of Naruto-kisses and recaptured Naruto’s hand as they picked up the pace. 

The bar was only two blocks away, and with Naruto in a fluster they arrived quickly. Not for the first time, Shikamaru thanked his lucky stars Naruto was so much shorter than him. It meant he didn’t have to waste energy on a jog in order to keep up. At the doorway, Shikamaru released his boyfriend and fell slightly behind as they ducked into the shinobi bar.

The eatery they entered was a much warmer, brighter room than the dark outside. Shinobi bars were generally private, hospitable places within hidden villages. Outside, they were sure to be hubs of violence and treachery, but in Konoha the drinks were unlikely to be poisoned and if they were, a comrade was waiting across the floor to avenge you. ‘The Tiger Den’ was no different, run by retired shinobi and built out of warm woods and green fabrics, with well-worn tables and kunai-nicked walls. At the back of the room there was even a fireplace with a little pile of embers warming the room, and a mantle above it with pictures of fallen loved ones accompanied by lit incense. 

“Ino! And Chouji and Kiba and…” Naruto greeted all of their friends by name while Shikamaru looked over his comrades from behind his boyfriend’s waving arm. They all seemed as healthy and whole as they’d been when he’d last checked. A sigh of relief puffed from his chest and he smirked at Chouji, who’d saved two seats between him and Ino.

As usual, Naruto plopped down into the seat by Ino and instantly brightened the entire establishment with his sunshine hair and sunshine smile. Shikamaru pulled out his package of cigarettes and quickly placed one in his mouth while he still had both hands. Then, he took the remaining seat between Chouji and Naruto, and settled back into his seat. Shikamaru sighed happily as the cushion propped him upright and his boyfriend leaned into the arm he’d thrown around him, leaving them pressed together from thigh to shoulder. That left Shikamaru tilted to look at Chouji and with a hand free to smoke and drink his sake. 

“Hey, Shikamaru.”

“Hey, Chouji, long time no see.”

“Ha!” Chouji beamed and folded his forearms onto the table. Behind him, Shikamaru spotted Shino waving down a server. “We just saw each other yesterday, Shikamaru. You’re becoming dramatic in your old age.”

“Troublesome,” Shikamaru mumbled around his cigarette. “I’m only 22. And you’re only a few months younger than me.” Chouji shook his head and ‘tisk’ed his tongue at him. That look in his eyes promised nothing but trouble for Shikamaru this evening. 

“A few months is years for a shinobi. Why, at your age, shouldn’t you be settling down? Getting married, maybe?” Chouji leaned in and whispered the last bit as if that would prevent everyone at the table from hearing and going “ooh”, which they immediately did. Shikamaru groaned and rubbed his forehead as, immune to the hive-mind of nosy friends, Naruto looked around at their friend’s smirks and stares and only made a questioning noise in the back of his throat. 

“Hey, hey wait I didn’t hear the joke!” Naruto twisted around under Shikamaru’s arm and looked out around the table. For a moment, Shikamaru panicked and desperately caught Ino’s eye, a mistake given how her own eyes immediately widened along with her beaming grin. Luckily, Shikamaru was saved by the grace of his boyfriend’s attention-span. “Oh, hey, Sakura-chan, did you get a haircut?”

Now, Shikamaru knew better than anybody that Naruto was much more observant than most gave him credit for. He also knew that when gossiping with Ino, Naruto could be crowned hokage and fail to notice. So long as the whole marriage thing was laughed off as a joke and didn’t come back up, Shikamaru shouldn’t have to use his kagemane to shut someone’s big mouth.

Across the table, Shikamaru eyed Kiba, who was drinking a strong mixed drink very quickly. If he had to bet on who’d fuck up first, he’d pick the mutt. 

“Sorry,” came a mutter from his left. Chouji was grimacing and petting his goatee, apparently genuinely apologetic. Sighing, Shikamaru smiled back to his best friend, waving off the apology. It wasn't a big deal, Chouji couldn’t have known. 

“So, did you hear anything about the next pool of Jounin senseis?” he asked. Chouji leaned in curiously, and on his other side around the table Shino, Kiba, Sai, and Tenten also perked up and moved their attention over to Chouji and Shikamaru. 

“Shouldn’t you be the first one to hear anything? I mean, you’re at the Hokage Tower more than any of us,” Tenten interjected. Shikamaru shrugged and lifted his lighter to the end of his cigarette. 

“You’d think, but none of the jounin seem to have been complaining about genin, recently. At least, not the fresh crop.”

“Perhaps the selections have not yet been released. Why?” Shino spoke up from behind a massive tankard of what could only be a virgin pina colada. Because of course a walking insect colony would have a sweet-tooth. “Because shinobi, in correlation with rank, complain about everything, especially their responsibilities.”

“Bug Man has a point,” said Sai. “Perhaps Nara simply did not hear the other’s complaints over his own?”

“Wow, Sai, I think you just called me skilled,” he dryly replied. Before Sai could do more than creepily smile at him, the server came by and it was time to order.

Naruto twisted under his arm, facing the server to order with his entire body. The squirming was pleasant, Shikamaru had to admit. “Heeey Yamada-san! We’re back!” Naruto called, and Shikamaru sighed and slumped down in his seat. This put him at face-level with Naruto’s neck. 

“Hello, Uzumaki-san. What will you and Nara-san be having this evening?” Their server - Yamada, apparently – smiled awkwardly at Naruto, but he seemed more awe-struck than nervous. Except when he looked at Shikamaru…oh, right, this was the one that had tried to flirt with Naruto that one time. It wasn’t anything worth fussing about, yet Shikamaru huffed in annoyance anyways and leaned in even closer to his boyfriend. Across the table he heard a few snickers. Not worth checking on.

“Anno, anno, well, Shikamaru wants a light plum sake, and I, hmm, I dunno, maybe, hmm, ah make it two! Shikamaru and I can share!” Shikamaru smirked and stuck his head into his boyfriend’s neck to leave a chaste kiss against Naruto’s pulse. 

“Thanks,” he whispered. He hadn’t even realized he wanted a plum sake until his boyfriend ordered for them. Naruto shivered against Shikamaru’s chest and he found himself relaxing into the familiar sensation of leaning against his most precious person and soaking in the warmth. The crook of his neck was very dark and quiet and Shikamaru felt himself dozing off…

“Shikamaru!” Naruto's voice vibrated against his face. He withdrew reluctantly from Naruto and looked up to his boyfriend's pouting face. When Naruto did not explain his summons, he tried to plant his head back into Naruto’s neck. Instead, he got a hand shoved over his face. Naruto pushed him backwards and Shikamaru blearily squinted through his boyfriend’s calloused fingers. Naruto was trying to glare at him and failing ridiculously. Shikamaru hid his instinctive smile when Naruto removed his hand and instead tilted his head and hit Naruto with his most plaintive look.

“Troublesooome,” he whined. Naruto immediately burst into laughter, just like he did every time, and so Shikamaru’s laziness was instantly forgotten by his overwhelmingly charming boyfriend. He tightened his arm around Naruto's shoulders and grinned. 

“You’re both so gross.”

“Hey!” Naruto yelped in reply. Shikamaru's smile vanished as his boyfriend rose to the bait and dramatically pointed his finger across the table at Sakura. After all these years, he still did not understand that dynamic. If it were up to him, Sakura would be stuck at a night-shift desk job on the opposite side of the village, by now. “Like you’ve got room to talk.”

“Here we go again,” Kiba grumbled. Next to Shikamaru, Chouji sighed and shook his head. 

“What’s that supposed to mean, idiot?” Sakura was going a pretty steady red across her forehead, and Shikamaru glanced over at Naruto to make sure that his boyfriend wasn’t truly feeling hurt. He looked angry, but more in a reflexive sense. 

“He means that you need to get yourself a decent boyfriend, forehead-girl,” Ino answered. She had her arms crossed and was visibly backing up Naruto with her posture. 

“Yes, beautiful Sakura-chyaaan! Although the passions of my youth no longer rise with you, your visage is still worth the hearts of one hundred men, should you only accept the affections of one!” Well. Shikamaru could always trust Lee to kill the mood. 

“Eh, Shikamaru, that was Lee-speak for not crushing on Sakura anymore, right?” whispered Naruto into his ear. Shikamaru nodded and leaned in closer to whisper in return.

“I think so. Maybe he has a new target for his affections?”

“Hey, yanno, I think everybody else here might be single! What’s up with that? Shikamaru, we should do something-ttebayo!” Shikamaru whipped around to look at his boyfriend, well, at what he could see from three inches away. Naruto had his therapy-no-jutsu face on. Shikamaru groaned internally and readied himself to back up his boyfriend. “Hey, hey everybody!” Naruto stood and shot one fist up into the air, drawing the attention of all of their friends bickering around them. “Okay, first up, raise your hand if you’re single!” Shikamaru wordlessly reached over and pulled Naruto’s raised fist back down to waist-level and kept it trapped beneath his own.

Unfortunately for his sanity, these sorts of shenanigans were nearly required for bar night. In no small part thanks to his, admittedly entertaining, boyfriend. Shikamaru stubbed out his cigarette onto the table. It left a little circle burn mark. One of dozens he’d left at this table. Around said table, Shino and Sai were first to raise their hands, with Hinata, Lee, and Tenten quickly following, although Hinata looked nervous and Tenten looked resigned. Shikamaru snorted under his breath. It did not escape him that in a hierarchy of reacting to Naruto, there was a perfect correlation with lack of shame. Although, what did that say about him?

Eh. Shame was too troublesome.

The rest of their friends were slowly raising one hand or the other when Ino finally slammed hers down on the table and whirled to glare murder at Naruto. “Na-ru-toooo!” she snarled. Naruto snapped back down into his seat like he'd been magnetized and clenched his hand around Shikamaru’s. “Quit rubbing your relationship in everybody’s face, dammit!” she shrieked. Shikamaru discreetly checked the glassware for cracks.

“Oh,” said Naruto. Then he frowned and looked down, setting off all of Shikamaru’s internal alarms. “Do we really, are we really that, yanno…”

Shikamaru shot Ino a look. “No, Naruto," he said. Calmly. "Our levels of public affection are perfectly fine.” Ino blanched.

“Y-yeah! Forget it, Naruto, it was nothing. Just, maybe don’t go around asking people about dating, please. Not everybody is as lucky as you.” Ino waved off Naruto’s thankful look, but accepted Shikamaru’s nod. 

“But that’s the thing, you should be! All of you are great dattebayo! So, I just don’t get it. Anybody’d be lucky to date one of you guys.” Around the table faces softened and smiles bloomed. No one could resist Naruto’s genuine admiration and faith. Shikamaru should know. 

“Naruto.” Chouji leaned forward to see around Shikamaru and smile directly at Naruto. His best friend put down his drink with a clink against the table and rubbed his thumb over his goatee. “We’ve all been there from start to finish for you and Shikamaru falling in love. Is it any wonder we all want something just as special? I don’t think I could just date some random cute girl after seeing what a really great relationship can be. What you and Shikamaru have is worth waiting for. And besides,” Chouji picked his drink up again and took a dainty sip, “just because I’m not dating doesn’t mean I’m not getting any action, if you know what I mean.” Chouji wriggled his eyebrows up and down and Shikamaru smirked as his boyfriend shrieked in his ear.

“Eeeeh?! Chouji! That’s way too embarrassing to say!” Naruto was flushing all over. His teeth were bared, and he was pointing dramatically at Chouji for only a moment before he’d slapped his palm over his mouth and made a deep whining noise. Shikamaru could practically see the steam coming out of Naruto’s ears as his boyfriend planted his face against Shikamaru’s shoulder and hid. 

Shikamaru sighed, but smiled too as he patted his boyfriend on the back and shot Chouji a grateful look. “I didn’t know you thought like that. Thank you.”

“Jeez, Nara,” Kiba butted in with even less grace than a barking dog, “how do you ever get him into bed when he’s like this?” Shikamaru glared daggers at the mutt, but didn’t answer otherwise. He could feel Naruto vibrating. 

Sure enough, Naruto shot upright just barely in time to miss ramming Shikamaru’s chin with his head. Naruto was so red he was nearly glowing, but his eyes had a feral glint in them as he peeled himself away. Shikamaru chuckled. Kiba was so in for it. 

“You bastard,” Naruto whispered at Kiba. The mutt had gone suspiciously blank, all but for his bugged-out eyes. “I’m gonna kick yo-“

“H-hey have I mentioned that I also find your relationship inspirational? ‘Cause I totally do!” Kiba was flailing his hands in the air so fast that he knocked over Tenten’s drink. The kunoichi instantly had a kunai stabbed through the table between Kiba’s pointer and middle finger. Which Shikamaru would've sworn were pressed together. They weren’t anymore, obviously. 

“Naruto,” said Tenten with a kind smile. “Ignore the mutt. We’re all shinobi trying to grow and improve every day. That means we aren’t going to settle for anything less than the best, especially in love.”

“Yeah!” Ino shouted, one fist pumping into the air in a move startlingly like Naruto. “I’m gonna fight for the most handsome, intelligent, and loving man ever and make him mine! And he’ll just have to pray he’s worthy of me!”

“Ino-chan!” Naruto’s eyes were wide and watery, and he reached over to interlace hands with Ino and smile wide and sappy. “I believe in you, Ino-chan! Fight on!”

“Naru-chan!”

“Ino-chan!”

“Naru-chan!”

Across the table, Shikamaru heard someone mutter simply “Oh god, they’re doing the Lee-thing again.” He snorted into his glass before quickly lifting it and finishing off the last dregs of his first drink. Then, since his boyfriend was so distracted, he snuck a hand over and stole Naruto's drink as a replacement. 

Shikamaru turned back to the table at large with his fresh sake, and grinned wryly at Hyuuga in particular. “So, how’s the book going?”

The rest of the evening passed in a haze of joyous conversation and drinks, which Shikamaru was very glad he and Naruto weren’t paying for. As always, Shino had the best gossip, Tenten had the best dirt, and Lee had the...most interesting training tips. He and Chouji also took the time to catch up a bit. Apparently after they'd parted the previous day Chouji'd gone home and his sister had helped him figure out where he'd been going wrong recently in the advanced Akimichi jutsus. Shikamaru couldn't wait to see his latest perfected technique, given the description. The night went on, though, and when Naruto yawned Shikamaru figured he’d be able to convince his boyfriend to let them go home to bed a bit early.

Naruto was giggling and playing some fast-paced cardgame full of little slaps and shuffles that by all logic he should be terrible at. Yet, as usual, Konoha’s Number One Unpredictable Ninja eked out a win for himself against Ino, Sakura, Lee, and Kiba. Before Naruto could get seriously into celebrating, Shikamaru scooted into Naruto’s personal space and tucked an arm around his waist.

“Hey, Naruto, let’s call it a night, hmm?”

Dragging his nose up the nape of Naruto’s neck made him shiver in Shikamaru’s embrace. Shikamaru could feel more than see Naruto nod, and his boyfriend remained relaxed back against Shikamaru for only a moment longer before standing with a sinful groan. Shikamaru stood as well, and so together they turned to start saying their goodbyes. 

Their friends were obviously drowsy as well. No one was surprised to see them leave. Shikamaru bet that Chouji would soon follow them, if the way his head was bobbing was any indication. He leaned over to hug his best friends, Chouji first who hummed softly, then Ino who leaned in with a devious smirk. It was when Shikamaru and Ino were embracing, well away from Naruto, that he finally got some valuable intel.

“Hey," Ino whispered, "we’re all wondering when you’re gonna get a move on, you know? All of us are Shinobi, we can keep a secret.” Shikamaru just scoffed and stepped back. Naruto stepped back around the table, and Shikamaru was quick to wrap back around the delightfully warm and pliant body of his tired boyfriend.

“Oh, Shikamaru! Let’s go, yeah? I’m so sleepy-ttebayo.” Naruto yawned and Shikamaru melted a little bit. So, Shikamaru nodded and let Naruto turn them around and lead them to the door. He let Naruto pull a tad ahead of him, though, and just as they reached the doorframe he quickly reached around and pulled open the pocket on the back of his flak-jacket. 

With deft fingers, Shikamaru pulled out the tiny black velvet box for only a moment before he tucked it away again. Then, he ushered Naruto quickly out the door. Behind him, an indistinct mass of voices that definitely included Ino screamed and laughed in equal measure. He even heard a wolf-whistle.

“Ah! Shikamaru, what was that? Should we go check on ‘em?” Shikamaru returned his attentions to Naruto, who was distinctly ethereal in the moonlight. Those blonde hairs, those big blue eyes, that grace and poise and brilliance. For the rest of his life, Shikamaru was ready to love this man with everything he could give. 

“They sounded happy, Naruto, so I’m sure it’s fine. I really want to go home with you, now.” Naruto stared him in the eye for a moment before smiling. Not beaming, or grinning, but a tiny soft smile that only Shikamaru could inspire with any regularity.

He couldn’t wait to see that smile every day for the rest of his life.


End file.
